[Dixielandjazz] Mona Hinton--RIP

[Norman Vickers]

To DJML

From: Norman Vickers, Jazz Society of Pensacola

Re:  Mona Hinton’s death

 

 

 

 

 

Michael Gourrier,aka Mr Jazz of New Orleans, Listmate and Katrina Refugee
now living in Richmond, VA sends this death notice about Mona Hinton.

 

Many of us who attended jazz parties at which Milt was a performer, got to
know Mona.  They were a lovely couple—gracious and charming.  I counted my
time with them as a treasure.

 

 

 

As the news release indicates, Mona was a great help to Milt and the other
musicians as they would travel.  Milt covers this in his book, Bass Line—a
great addition to jazz history.

 

 

 

Milt also told about his daughter being a student at the UN school.  They
spoke French as the diplomatic language.  Milt reported that they got to
attend lots of birthday parties for the children of UN diplomats.  Charming
story—and both Milt and Mona were great raconteurs( and besides that, they
told a good story!)

 

 

 

I don’t know what life has been like for Mona in the last few years.  I had
understood that she had some chronic medical difficulties.  This may be a
release for her. I did have opportunity to meet their daughter and
granddaughter at some jazz event  about 15 years ago.  Jazz impresario Dick
Gibson used to introduce Milt as “my personal choice for President!”

 

 

 

I expect that there will be an outpouring of remembrances about Milt and
Mona.  

 

 

Thanks, Mike!

 

Here’s the press notice:

 

 

Forwarded from:

Carolyn McClair Public Relations Press Release

 

Contact: Carolyn McClair

(212) 721-3341

 

Mona Clayton Hinton 1919-2008

 

Edmonia - Mona - Clayton Hinton, the widow of noted jazz musician and
documentarian Milt Hinton (1910-2000), died on May 3, 2008, at North Shore
Hospital after a long illness. She was living at the Hinton family residence
on Milt Hinton Place in the Queens section of New York City.

 

The Hintons first met at Milt's grandmother's funeral in 1939 and were
inseparable for the next 61 years. Mona traveled extensively with Milt
throughout his career. She was the only spouse on the road with the Cab
Calloway Orchestra in the 1940s, where, according to Milt, she was extremely
helpful in finding rooms and meals for band members especially when the band
worked in small towns during the Jim Crow era. During the '50s and '60s when
Milt was working day and night in the New York studios, Mona kept the books
and made often complicated transportation arrangements. And during the last
two decades of his life, Milt and Mona got to travel to jazz festivals and
clinics around the world - first class.

 

In 1958, at her husband's request, Mona took the celebrated home movie
footage (the only movie in existence) of the Esquire Magazine photo shoot on
a Harlem brownstone stoop that was memorialized in Jean Bach's film, A Great
Day in Harlem.

 

Mrs. Hinton was born in Centralia, IL, in 1919. She was the sixth of eight
children; and at the time of her birth, her family, like many others who
were part of the Great Migration, was moving from Mississippi to Ohio. After
completing high school in Sandusky, OH, she moved to Chicago and attended
Poro College, a cosmetology school run by early African American
entrepreneur, Madam Annie Malone. Although Mrs. Hinton graduated, she
realized her true talents were in bookkeeping, not hair dressing, and she
remained in Chicago as an assistant to Madam Malone.

 

Mrs. Hinton returned to school in the 70s earning bachelor and masters
degrees at Queens College of the City University of New York. She taught at
several Queens elementary schools, but gave up full-time work to accompany
her husband in his travels

 

The Hintons were active in many community organizations including the St.
Albans Congregational Church and both received numerous awards and honors.

 

Mrs. Hinton is survived by her daughter, Charlotte Hinton-Morgan; a
granddaughter Inez Mona Morgan; a great grandson Kamyron William Morgan, all
of Atlanta; her sister Mary Louise Bellamy of Sandusky, numerous nieces and
nephews, and countless friends around the world.

 

The funeral service for Mrs. Hinton will be held Friday, May 9, at 10 am at
the St. Albans Congregational Church, 172-17 Linden Boulevard in Jamaica,
Queens

 

(HYPERLINK "http://www.stalbanscc.org/"http://www.stalbanscc.org). The
viewing is from 9 - 10 am.

 

In lieu of flowers contributions may be sent to The Jazz Foundation of
America or the American Cancer Society.

 

____________________

 

I had the pleasure of spending time with Mona at a few different jazz
parties. She was a splendid lady. - Michelle from Peeedro

 

                                                --end--

 

 

 

 

 


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